Cable television (CATV) service providers have in the recent past been offering pay-per-view (p-p-v) services. In contrast to conventional CATV service in which the viewer receives a set of CATV channels for a fixed monthly rate, the p-p-v service consists of the user receiving a single viewing of a pay-per-view feature at a predetermined time and being billed for the single viewing. The p-p-v service is typically provided in conjunction with the conventional CATV service with the p-p-v feature being transmitted for reception on a predetermined channel received with the conventional CATV channels.
In one form of the p-p-v service, p-p-v service circuitry is included, in the viewer's home, either within the conventional CATV reception apparatus or within a physically separate "converter device." In either case, the CATV signals received from the CATV service provider, including the one or more channels designated for carrying p-p-v features, are received by the p-p-v circuitry. The p-p-v circuitry includes circuitry for descrambling a p-p-v feature if the viewer has previously elected to view the feature. In this form of p-p-v service, the viewer corresponds, either by telephone or mail, with the cable service provider to identify the desired p-p-v feature. A central computer located at facilities of the cable service provider transmits a command over the CATV service cable for receipt by the particular p-p-v circuitry of the viewer who elected to view the p-p-v feature. The command causes the p-p-v circuitry to descramble the desired p-p-v feature upon its being broadcast. The ability to command the particular p-p-v circuitry of the viewer is made possible by assigning a unique addressable identity to the respective p-p-v circuits of the viewers served by the cable provider. The nature of the p-p-v circuitry and the manner in which the central computer's command is implemented by that circuitry are known in the art and, not being part of the present invention, are not described in detail herein.
A more recent innovation in the p-p-v service is referred to as an "impulse pay-per-view" service. In accordance with this service, a separate converter device is provided and includes circuitry for descrambling a desired p-p-v feature as well as circuitry for accessing the cable company's central computer via telephone line. Thus, the converter device requires connection to both the CATV cable as well as a telephone line providing access to the viewer's conventional telephone service. An actuating device, e.g., a button, is provided on the converter device for actuation by the viewer to select the desired p-p-v feature for receipt on the viewer's television. In one known implementation of the impulse p-p-v service, the converter device descrambles the desired p-p-v feature, in direct response to the viewer's selection, without intervention by the cable company's central computer. Subsequently, the central computer commands each converter device, by direct addressing over the CATV cable, to make telephone contact with the central computer to log in the p-p-v features selected by the viewer. Converter devices having these capabilities, including the capability of automatically dialing out a predetermined number, are commercially available as models DP5, DPV5 and Starcom 7 manufactured by Jerrold Electronics, Inc., of Hatboro, Pa.
The requirement that the converter device associated with the impulse p-p-v service be connected to both the CATV cable and to the telephone line of the viewer, creates installation difficulties. The major difficulty arises in the situation where there is no telephone service in the particular room in which the converter device is being installed. In that situation, the installer must tap into the telephone line at another location in the viewer's dwelling and route the telephone line to the proximity of the converter box. It may also be necessary for the installer to perform such routing of the telephone line in the case where telephone service is located in the same room as the converter device but at a location remote from the converter device, e.g., across the room. Further, in the situation where multiple converter devices are being installed in different rooms in the viewer's dwelling, it is necessary for the installer to provide telephone service to the proximity of each converter box in each room. The routing of telephone cable to each converter box disadvantageously requires additional installation time. Further, the routed telephone cable may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the viewer's dwelling.